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Maybe a little timing advice...

i know it might not belong here, but the other ford boards arent being any real help. (if it aint a 5.0 its not worth talkin about.... ) My timing slipped on a 86 mustang 2.3L 4 cyl. i dont know if you guys know a site that might help me or if you guys have owned one in the past. would kinda like to get it fixed for sentimental value. (first car ever owned. Learned to drive stick on)

Friend of mine last year did a major swap like I believe you are talking about. He bought a 5.0 convertible and a 4 cylinder model as a parts car. Everything fit he just spent so much more time working on wiring and having fuel-cut issues. I drove the car and it would flat out haul-rump roast. I wasn't use to going 55 MPH and doing half the RPM's of what my Brat would be doing at the same speed. I am not, and never will be an American car person but it is a fun little machine to go and really get on.

They are very simple. If you don't have a Haynes manual, you should get one. But instead of lecturing you about that, I'm going to copy a portion straight out of a Chilton's.

1. Remove timing belt outer cover.2. If the belt timing is incorrect, loosen the belt tensioner adjustment screw.Place camshaft belt tension adjusting tool T74P-6254-A on the tension spring rollpin and retract the belt tensioner. Tighten the adjustment screw to hold the tensioner in the retracted position.3. Remove the crankshaft pulley and belt guide.4. Position the crankshaft and the camshaftsprokets so that the timing marks index with the timing pointers.5. Remove the distributor cap and set the distributor rotor to the number 1 firing position by turning the auxiliary shaft.6. Install the timing belt over the crankshaft sproket and the counter clockwise over the auxiliary and camshaft sprockets.7. Loosen the tensioner adjustment bolt and allow the tensioner to move against the belt. To ensure the belt does not jump time during rotation, remove the spark plugs.8. Rotate the crankshaft two complete turns in normal rotation to remove the slack from the belt.Tighten the tensioner adjustment and pivot bolts to specifications.

The special tool in numer 2 is unneccesary. Find a way to compress the tensioner then lock it in place by tightening the bolt. The crank pulley has to come off to see the sprocket. There are obvious marks in the sprockets and the timing pointers should be, too. Lining up the rotor to the #1 plug wire is very important.

Most important, actually verify that the belt has skipped time before you remove it. If it has, replace it and inspect the idler pulley.

1st step is to rotate engine to TDC #1 cylinder and check that all of the timing marks align. There's a rubber plug in the belt cover for checking the cam position. All marks should be at their position and disty pointing to #1.

It's been a long time since I've done one of these engines. I'm not real sure on how you see the marks for the auxilary shaft, and the book doesn't say.

Remove the spark plugs to make it easier to rotate the engine, and never turn one of them backwards as that can cause belt to slip. If the belt has slipped, get a new one. Never use one that has jumped as it won't hold and will do it again.

Sorry my hands have been tied up a little with my 6 being on the fritz.... Today is an awesome day for weather so i decided to let the soob be for a change and work on the mustang. It shouldnt take me all that long and it should be back up and running.

I've come so close yet so far. I'm unsure of what exactly this sproket is and the worse part of it is it got spun so now it is off. i cant find any marks to line it up to so im a bit confused. Im pretty sure that this particular sproket is the one that controls the disty. click on the link below cause im done with fighting trying to get a stupid picture to upload.

On the lighter note the cam and crank are in sync right now. i just need to figure out which way to turn "the mystery sproket" and where the alignment marks are....